Milepost restored beside historic former Rutland canal

The unveiling ceremony for the restored Oakham Canal milepost

It is one of only two mileposts surviving from Oakham Canal, which opened in 1802 as an extension of the Melton Mowbray Navigation, snaking from Melton canal basin through Stapleford Park, Whissendine and Cottesmore to what are now the grounds of Oakham School.

From the beginning, the project was beset with problems, and just 45 years later the canal closed for good.

The restored milepost, which was unveiled by Rutland and Melton MP, Alicia Kearns, at a special ceremony on Friday organised by Oakham Canal Green Corridor Project, whose volunteers are working to bringing the canal back into use as a local heritage and environment feature.

MP Alicia Kearns poses by the restored milepost by the former Oakham Canal

The milepost was rescued from the side of the abandoned canal by the family of Jenny Laidler 60 years ago after it fell into disrepair and was almost lost in the undergrowth.

It sat in a corner of a garden near Edmonthorpe for many years before Melton-based firms MJ Coatings and Kirkland Contracting agreed to help remove and renovate it, which was no easy task with it being an extremely heavy cast-iron post.

Jenny, who attended the unveiling, said: “We loved playing down by the canal as children and my dad used to fish there, so it was difficult to see it in such a sorry state.

“We decided we’d rather rescue the milepost than see it disappear forever.”

Over the past three years, the Oakham canal project volunteers have lovingly started bringing the canal back to life, already having fully restored a circular walk from Oakham to Ashwell with improved pathways, bridges and signage.

The restoration of the milepost, which stands now where the canal crosses Oakham bypass, is part of their scheme.

MP Mrs Kearns said: “This project is what Rutland is all about for me..

“Everyone coming together in all weathers to get stuck in and make a real difference to their local environment – this place is beautiful now, a complete wildlife haven, it’s well used and so many people appreciate it.

The only other surviving milepost from Oakham Canal is displayed in Rutland County Museum in the town.